


Dinner Date

by Choke-a-Bro (Vanya_Deyja)



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: AU, Fluff, M/M, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:27:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26746612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vanya_Deyja/pseuds/Choke-a-Bro
Summary: Prompto works at the only Lucian style restaurant in Gralea. Loqi, the Chef, has never set foot on Lucian soil but... Well, the Niffs don't know any better. So long as no Lucians walk in the door it'll be fine, right...?
Relationships: Prompto Argentum/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 18
Kudos: 93





	Dinner Date

Prompto has been waitressing at this restaurant in downtown Gralea for almost a year. It’s not a great job but he makes good tips and the management like him. Loqi, the chef, hardly gets along with himself most days so Prompto’s ability to keep him grounded is much appreciated by everyone and Aranea, the owner, is happy to give Prompto almost any concession so long as he works some of the busiest shifts with Loqi.

Busy is good though, good tips.

The restaurant is the only Lucian eatery in the city. The locals like their food a lot but their deep dark secret? Loqi has never set a foot in Lucis in his whole life and his approach to traditional recipes is a little… loose and wild? Loqi always thinks he knows best. He’s convinced he can cook better than centuries of Lucian locals and palace chefs. So he special orders Lucian ingredients and does unseemly things to them.

Prompto doesn’t usually mind, like he said: the locals don’t know any better and Loqi _is_ a good chef so their food is popular.

But—

“Is everything alright here, Sir?” Prompto stops by the back-corner booth.

The well-dressed businessman, young and desperately handsome, considers Prompto for a second. He seems to be hesitating but, putting down his fork, he grumbles:

“Does your cook put cilantro in this?”

“Uh—” Prompto fumbles. “Yes, I think he does.”

Immediately Prompto is fretting about some obscure allergy.

“If you want something else, Sir—”

“Ugh,” the man grumbles, straightening his glasses. “He does know that’s a complete butchery of the recipe, right?”

“Uh…” Prompto fumbles.

“Does he use galanga instead of ginger too?” The man huffs. “I bet he uses fucking chili jam in the—”

“Do you want something else, Sir?” Prompto poses carefully.

The man sighs. “I want this. Without cilantro. _Please._ ”

“I’ll be right back.” Prompto smiles, picking up the barely touched plate.

In the kitchen he explains the situation to Loqi as levelly as he can.

Loqi is not impressed.

“It tastes better this way.” Loqi defends.

“I’m sure it does, Loqi.” Prompto replies. “But can we make him one without it?”

“I’m not making him a whole new batch!”

“I can help you prep ingredients if—”

“Where is this bastard?” Loqi wipes off his hands. “I want to speak to this idiot!”

“Loqi—” Prompto hurries after him back into the dining room.

Ah shit.

Loqi rounds on the table and the businessman lifts his head warily.

“Sir,” Loqi scoffs. “I am a _chef_. I have studied in this cuisine for six years and I don’t come to your job to tell you how to do whatever the fuck it is you do.”

The businessman sits back, considering Loqi for a moment, and Loqi is looking quite proud of himself for a split second. Loqi, hands on his hips, seems to think he’s gotten the final word in when the man thrusts one delicately manicured finger at him and starts laying into him…

In perfectly accented, fluent, _Lucian_.

Oh double shit.

Prompto ducks his head down.

Loqi pales.

Prompto has no idea what the man is saying, he’s not even sure Loqi has any idea, but Loqi stands there, stunned, for a good five minutes while this man unloads a colorful articulation of vowels onto him. Then switching back to Niffian, clear as day, the man snaps-

“No cilantro. Please.”

“Yes Sir.” Loqi replies.

Prompto is so embarrassed.

Loqi storms back to the kitchen, door slamming, and wheezing weakly through his teeth Prompto fumbles-

“Would you like another glass of wine, Sir?”

“Leave the bottle. Please.” The man sighs, burying his face in his forearms on the table.

The businessman is beautiful but he looks intensely tired and even when Loqi makes him a new batch of food he doesn’t seem pleased with anything. Not even the wine seems to improve his mood.

And yet…

Prompto knows the Lucian man hates their food. He has three more explosive arguments with Loqi in the following days and yet he still comes, every day, to eat dinner at their restaurant.

After two weeks of this Loqi throws his hands up and announces loudly—

“Tell him to fuck off! I refuse to cook another thing for that man!”

Prompto considers the orders and glances at the other waiter, Biggs.

“Biggs, can you handle all the tables for a second?” Prompto orders. “I’ll be twenty minutes.”

“Sure man,” Biggs steps in.

“What’re you going to do?” Loqi huffs.

“I’ll make him something,” Prompto decides, “obviously he doesn’t appreciate your skillful cooking, Loqi, so I doubt he’ll notice the difference.”

Loqi snorts, ego placated.

“You don’t mind if I use some ingredients?” Prompto checks, smiling sweetly as he pulls on an apron.

“No, go nuts,” Loqi decides. “I can focus on proper customers!”

“Sounds great,” Prompto whips out his phone.

Prompto has no idea how to make the dish in question but he’s picked up a lot at the restaurant and they have every ingredient under the sun.

He scrolls pinterest for a second but there are so many substitution suggestions he doubts the recipe is very authentic so he finds a thickly accented youtuber and follows their instructions as quickly as he can with his phone propped up beside him.

He’s sweaty and a little messy when he emerges twenty minutes later to bring the food.

“Enjoy Sir,” he offers breathlessly, placing down the meal before handsome-but-irritable and rushing back to help Biggs with the other tables he’s neglected.

Over the following week Prompto makes a habit of cooking for the Lucian man. Loqi seems to think of it as a funny joke, a comeuppance, and that keeps him placated so Prompto can work. The Lucian man also starts complaining less.

Friday night, late, as they’re closing, Prompto clears the Lucian man’s table.

“Did you enjoy your meal Sir?” He smiles.

“Either your Chef is actually learning something, or my taste buds are surrendering to this Niff crap.” He sighs heavily, finishing his wine.

“Actually,” Prompto laughs softly, “the Chef refuses to cook for you so…”

The Lucian man blinks up at him, confused and considering anger.

“I’m not much of a chef but I’ve found some good blogs you seem to prefer.” Prompto smiles.

The Lucian slackens, looking like all the spite’s been beaten out of him and filled with concrete grief.

“Why would you do that?” He murmurs.

“Because I figure if you’re coming in here every day when you plainly hate our food,” Prompto snorts, “you must be really homesick.”

The Lucian sags impossibly further and nods.

“Prompto,” he greets properly, offering his hand.

“Ignis,” the man replies, catching his fingers and twisting the presented paw so he can kiss Prompto’s knuckles like a regular gentleman.

Prompto flushes a violent pink.

“Thank you Prompto,” Ignis murmurs. “You’re very kind.”

“I—Uh—Don’t sweat it!” Prompto twitters, insides trembling.

**Author's Note:**

> If I had a customer like Ignis I'd spit in his food but Prompto is much nicer than I am <3


End file.
